Mental Health Month

May is Mental Health Month, and last week, a number of Cincinnati steampunks, lead by Airship Ashanti, participated in NAMI’s annual walk across the Purple People Bridge.

As former attendees of the International Steampunk Symposium may know, our organization has teamed up with NAMI several years running to help support their mission to educate the public and bring an end to the social stigma against mental illness.

One in four adults experiences mental illness every year. This means even if you do not suffer from mental illness, someone you know probably does. More than likely, several people you know are struggling to make it through the day.

You can help in any number of ways. NAMI is always looking for donations and volunteers to help improve and expand their services. But supporting those closest to you who suffer from mental illness can be as simple as following up with friends and relatives who’ve been having a rough time.

Maybe it’s time to share your own story of mental illness to encourage those around you to fight on.

Or, it might finally be time to seek treatment for your own condition and begin the process of recovery.

M. Leigh Hood is a rare beast of the Cincinnati wilderness typically preoccupied with writing, nerding, and filming The Spittoon List. For more articles and stories by M. Leigh Hood, look HERE.